A Performance Guide for Two Solo Violin Works by Carl Nielsen: Prelude, Theme and Variations, Op. 48 and Preludio e Presto, Op. 52 by Michelle Vallier A Research Paper Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Musical Arts Approved April 2012 by the Graduate Supervisory Committee: Katherine McLin, Chair Rodney Rogers Danwen Jiang Wayne Bailey Thomas Landschoot ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY May 2012 ABSTRACT The two solo violin works by Carl Nielsen (1865-1931) have been largely overlooked since their composition in the 1920s. These pieces are representative of Nielsen’s mature style, combining elements of classical form (the Theme and Variations) as well as processes more commonly found in the twentieth century (through-composition and non-tonal harmonic language). This paper is designed to bring these long-neglected works to light and make them more approachable for violin students, teachers and performers. As Denmark’s leading composer, Nielsen was well regarded in his lifetime, although his isolation from mainland Europe created obstacles in his path toward international fame. Rather than following trends in post- romantic music, he remained true to his own musical ideals. This choice often isolated him further during his career, but his unique blend of chromatic harmony, driving rhythms and juxtapositions of character captivates modern listeners. Although small in scope compared to his symphonies and other large works, the enthusiastic spirit and indomitable energy of the solo violin works reflect Nielsen’s character at its best. Combining a high level of virtuosity with solid structural integrity, textural variety and musical interest, these works deserve a much more prominent place in the standard violin repertoire. i ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to thank my doctoral committee: Dr. Katherine McLin, Dr. Rodney Rogers, Professor Danwen Jiang, Dr. Wayne Bailey and Professor Thomas Landschoot. Their support and editorial recommendations helped to strengthen this paper. I am indebted to Dr. Rogers for his advice regarding my analytical approach and the scope and depth of the analytical portions. I would like to offer my sincere gratitude to Dr. McLin for her enthusiasm and encouragement throughout this process. Her passion for lesser-known compositions and interest in expanding the repertoire helped inspire my work. She provided valuable insights on technique and interpretation as I learned these pieces, and served as a sounding board for my ideas. I am grateful to Edition Wilhelm Hansen, who generously agreed to allow me to use their critical editions of both pieces for the basis of my annotated scores. Many thanks are due to my family and friends who have supported me for many years. I want to express special thanks to my amazing husband, Jason, for staying positive, never losing faith, and taking care of life’s details so I could focus on my degree. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page CHAPTER 1 LIFE AND INFLUENCES ........................................................... 1 2 WORKS AND STYLISTIC EVOLUTION ................................... 5 3 NIELSEN’S PHILOSOPHY IN REGARDS TO INTERPRETATION............................................................. 12 4 INTRODUCTION TO THE ANALYSES ................................... 14 5 THEORETICAL AND PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS OF PRELUDE, THEME AND VARIATIONS, OP. 48 ............... 15 Prelude .................................................................................. 15 Theme and Variations ........................................................... 22 6 THEORETICAL AND PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS OF PRELUDIO E PRESTO, OP. 52 ......................................... 38 Preludio .................................................................................. 38 Presto .................................................................................... 49 REFERENCES .......................................................................................... 56 APPENDIX A PRELUDE, THEME AND VARIATIONS ANNOTATED SCORE .............................................................................. 58 B PRELUDIO E PRESTO ANNOTATED SCORE ................... 74 C PERMISSION TO USE COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL ......... 85 iii CHAPTER 1 LIFE AND INFLUENCES Carl Nielsen (1865-1931) is considered to be Denmark’s most important composer, leading trends in Danish composition “from a predominantly Scandinavian late classicism to a rather advanced international modernism.”1 Critics during and after his life gave varied opinions of his work; some were harsh while others lauded him. His efforts to codify Danish musical language by creating a body of popular songs in traditional folk style resulted in his music becoming “an integral part of Denmark’s national music culture.”2 There is no question that he made a considerable impact on future generations of Danish composers. His diverse compositional output and unique personal style make his works appealing to modern listeners. In recent years, performances of his orchestral works in particular have been more prevalent outside of Denmark. The Carl Nielsen Edition, a project begun in 1994, includes critical editions of his works with written introductions, a bibliography and relevant articles. This resource has aided scholarship on Nielsen’s vast output, increasing interest in Nielsen and his works. Nielsen drew his musical inspiration from many sources throughout his early life. He was born and raised on Funen, a large sheltered island 1 Jürgen Balzer, ed., Carl Nielsen Centenary Essays (Copenhagen: Bianco Luno Ltd., 1965), p. 19. 2 Daniel Grimley, Carl Nielsen and the Idea of Modernism (Woodbridge, UK: The Boydell Press, 2010), pp. 1-2. 1 often referred to as the “Garden of Denmark.”3 In this agricultural setting, his musical influences were few, but of particular importance to his development. His father was a house painter who worked part-time as a musician, playing fiddle and other instruments in a dance band. Nielsen learned to play violin and cornet, and in later years worked alongside his father, providing party entertainment. Nielsen’s mother sang, and he found inspiration in the expressive qualities of her voice. Nielsen often heard performances given by a regional string quartet and a classical music ensemble, comprised of amateur musicians from the surrounding rural area. He wrote of this experience, saying that “by hearing fragments of the more accessible music of good masters, I conceived a passion for music which cannot leave me.”4 His appreciation for the simplicity of classical forms and style, exemplified by Mozart and Beethoven and carried into the romantic period by Brahms, stayed with him throughout his compositional career. Nielsen worked as a bugler for a military band during 1879-1893, and it was during this time that he was given his first formal education in music. He expanded upon this education during his years (1884-1886) at Denmark’s Conservatoire of Music, where he studied violin. Interestingly enough, he did not study composition here; “presumably this had seemed too ambitious for a modest country boy.”5 Whatever the case, he 3 Jack Lawson, Carl Nielsen, (London: Phaidon Press Ltd., 1997), p. 14. 4 Mina Miller, ed., The Nielsen Companion (London: Faber and Faber, 1994), p. 66. 5 Lawson, Carl Nielsen, p. 43. 2 absorbed what he thought was necessary, always frustrated with what he viewed as the close-mindedness of the Danish musical establishment. During this time, one of the principal teachers in composition at the Conservatoire was Nicholas Gade, a traditionalist trained in Leipzig. Nielsen’s favorite teacher, the one who became a mentor to him later on, was Orla Rosenhoff. Rosenhoff “had an ear for new music,” and he encouraged Nielsen to forge new paths.6 Nielsen traveled to mainland Europe after graduation on a travel scholarship. On this trip he attended as many concerts as he could, absorbing the current trends of late-Romanticism, Wagner in particular. He had heard Wagner’s music in Denmark, but diary entries from this trip attest to the fact that he was swept away by the performances of Siegfried and Das Rheingold that he heard in Dresden. He tempered these thoughts later, adding that he found Wagner’s use of leitmotif “very naïve” and “somewhat comical.”7 This was the first of many such trips; in fact, he “travelled obsessively throughout lower Europe in compensation for the perception that he stood at the fringes of the ‘mainstream.’”8 In the course of his journeys, he met many famous musicians from mainland Europe, including Sibelius, Busoni, Richard Strauss, Brahms, Ravel, Honegger and Milhaud. 6 Lawson, Carl Nielsen, p. 42. 7 Balzer, Carl Nielsen Centenary Essays, p. 76. 8 Miller, ed., The Nielsen Companion, p.33. 3 Nielsen worked for a number of years at the Danish Royal Theatre, both as a second violinist (1889-1905) and as conductor (1908-1914). In addition to much-needed income, these jobs provided him with more experience and exposed him to a wide variety of musical styles. After his resignation in 1914, he conducted his own music abroad, expanding his sphere of influence to Sweden and mainland Europe. Although he studied violin at the Conservatoire and supported himself by playing for many years, Nielsen never showed any intention of pursuing a serious performing career. “A great deal of the repertoire simply did not interest him,” and he was more interested in composition.9 Still, he was known to have played beautifully; he even gave a performance of his Violin Sonata No. 2 for a group